Electrically-operated railway-switch.



' 'No 867,918. PATENTED OUT. 8, 190 7.

' F. J. JOHNS. I

ELEGTRIGALLY OPERATED RAILWAY SWITCH.

union-101w FILED MAR. 20, 1907.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 1 r": m RRIS PETERS cm, wnsmuorom n. c

No. 867,918. P'ATBNI'ED OCT. 8, 1907.

F. J. JOHNS.

ELEOTRICALLY OPERATED RAILWAY SWITCH.

- APPLICATION TILED MARKED, 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

nu: NORRIS PETERS cm, WASHINGTON. nc.

- PATENI'ED 00138, 1907.

I P. J. JOHNS. ELEGTRIOALLY OPBRATBDRAILWAY SWITCH.

APPLICATION I'I'LBD MAR. 20, 1007.

V @6755 J are/ E 2702735 srans FRANK J. JOHNS, OF SCRANTON,PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGN GARRETT, OF SGRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA.

OR OF ONE-THIRD TO JOHN NELSON AND ONE-THIRD TO JAMES P. PULSIFER, OF

No. 867,918. Specification of Application filed March 20,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK .I. JoHNs, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing in Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna and State 01'Pennsylvania,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElectrically-0perated Railway-Switches of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to railway switches of the class in which a car maybe automatically shifted from the main track to a siding or a branchtrack by means of devices carried by the car and under the control ofthe motorman. A switch of this class is shown in Letters Patent of theUnited States No. 746,644 of December 8, 1903, invented by James P.Pulsiier of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In that patent, however, theswitch was operated mechanically, while in my invention I have providedmeans whereby a switch of this general character may be operated byelectro magnetic devices.

According to my invention I form a switch point in a plate which ismounted to slide in a closely fitting box or casing in such manner as tocause the switch point to register with a rail of either the main trackor a branch track, and the plate is formed with grooves on oppostiesides of the switch point which are arranged to register with thegrooves of the tracks. The plate is provided with a downwardlyprojecting arm engaged by the upper bifurcated end of a lever which isconnectedwith an iron bar constituting the core or armature of twosolenoid electro magnets arranged opposite each other in a box orhousing below the switch plate. The arrangement is such that when onemagnet is energized it operates the lever in one direction to set theswitch for the main track, and 35 when the other magnet is energized theswitch is set for the siding or branch track. Two contact plates arearranged on the track, one of which is connected with one magnet, andthe other with the other magnet and both magnets are connected toground. Each, car carries a yielding contact maker which is electricallyconnected with the controller of the car and this contact maker isadapted to make electrical contact with either of the contact plates toclose the circuit through the appropriate magnet to set the switch foreither the main track or the siding.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention,-Figure 1 is aplan view of a. railway track with my improvements applied and it alsoshows part of a car on the main track. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of apart of the main track and branch track with my improved switch applied,some of the parts being shown by dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a sideelevation of a portion of a car equipped with my improvements 7 showingthe relation of the contact maker of the car Letters Patent.

1907'. Serial No. 363,421.

Patented Oct. 8, 1907.

with the contact plates connected with the electro magnets which operatethe switch. Fig. 4 shows a longitudinal section through the switch andits oper ating mechanism. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the platecarrying the switch point and the housing or casing for the plate. Fig.6 is a perspective view of one of the plates of this casing. Fig. 7 is aperspective view of the under side of the switch plate. Fig. 8 is aperspective view of the upper side of the casing of the plate.

The main track, A, is joined to a branch track, B, in the usual wayexcept as hereinafter indicated. The rails shown are of the ordinarygrooved type and the joints atx and y may be of any approved form. Theswitch point, C, is formed on a plate or block, D, which is mounted toslide transversely of the main track in a housing or casing, E. Theblock or plate,

D, is grooved at d, d, to correspond with the grooves in the main trackand the branch track and the plate is adapted to slide in its housingtransversely of the main track so as to cause the grooves to registeralter nately with the grooves in the main and branch, tracks. Thehousing, E, incloses the plate or block,

D, in such manner as to prevent the entrance of dirt, snow, &c., and itsopposite ends are recessed at F to register with the grooves in therails of the main and side tracks.

As will be seen by reference'to Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive, the plate D maybe dropped into position within the housing when the top plates, G, aredetached, and then the plates, G, may be applied to confine the plate,D, in its housing while permitting it to slide therein.

The plate, D, is provided with a downwardly projecting arm, H, whichextends through an opening, h, in the top plate, I, of the housing whichincloses the electro magnetic devices for actuating the switch plate.

It will be observed that the casing, E, is provided with laterallyprojecting flanges receiving screws which securely hold the housing, E,to the top plate, I, to permit of the housing, E, being removed forrepairs when desired.

It will be obvious from an inspection of Figs. 1 and 2 that when theplate, D, is shifted to one position the switch is set for the maintrack, 'and when shifted to the opposite position it is set for thebranch track.

The housing, I, for the electro-magnetic devices, as before stated, iscovered by a plate, I. It contains two solenoid electro magnets, M, M,arranged horizontallyon opposite sides of the downwardly projecting arm,H, and its armature is in the form of a bar or core,

N, which is adapted to slide back and forth through the solenoids in themanner indicated in Fig. 4. The bar, N, is pivotally connected with alever, O, which has a loose joint at the bottom of the casing asindicated at 0, and its upper end is biiurcated and engages thedownwardly projecting arm, H. When the magnet or ,solenoid, M, isenergized, the core or armature, N, is drawn into it and the switch isshifted in such manner as to set it for the side track. When the magnet,M, is energized, the switch is shifted in the opposite direction andsets the switch for the main track. As indicated in Fig. 1, the magnet,M, is connected by a wire, m, with a contact plate, P, while the magnet,M, is connected by a wire, in, with a contact plate, 1. Both magnets areconnected by wires, m to ground, or, as shown, to one of the tracks atA. It will be observed that normally there are no live wires in thesystem and no danger of accident; on this account.

The car, R, is provided with a yielding contactn'iaker, S, or anysuitable construction, which is connected by a wire, 3, with thecontroller or rheostat, '1, ol' the car. The contact-maker, S, isarranged in line with the Contact plates, P, P, and the inotorman maycause the contact maker to either clear both contacts or to makeelectrical connection at the proper time with either of them. Forinstance, ii the motorman desires to continue on the main line and heobserves that the switch is set for the side track, he will energize thecontact-maker, S, to cause it to engage the contact engage the contactplate, I.

maker is adapted to engage both contact plates, P, P, 1

plate, P. This will energize the magnet, M and set the switch for themain track, in the manner beiore described. In like manner the switchmay be set for the side track by causing the contact-maker, S, to

As shown, the contactbut the circuit need not be closed when it reachesthe tirst contact plate, and therefore the corresponding magnet will notbe energized, but. the circuit may be closed as soon as the contactmaker engages the proper contact plate.

The mechanism shown is simple and etlicicnt and is very reliable inoperation. The plate carrying the switch point may be well protected, asmay also the electromagnetic devices and they may be all simple inconstruction and operated without expenditure of unnecessary energy.

I claim as my invention:

1. An automatic railway switch comprising :1 sliding plate carrying aswitch point. a box or casing t'or said plate in which it is guided. ahousing below the plate. electro-magnets within said housing. anarmature common to said magnets. an arm projecting downwardly trom thesliding plate between the magnets. a bifurcated lever engaging said arm.and a pivotal connection between the lever and the armature.

2. An automatic railway switch colnpi-"ing a sliding plate carrying aswitch point and having a downwal'dly projecting arm. electro-magnets onopposite sides ot' said arm. an armature common to both magnets.mechanical connections between the armature and the arm. contact platesconnected with the magnets. a ground connection for the magnets. andmeans carried by a passing car for closing the circuit through eithermagnet.

in testimony whereof. I have hereunto subscribed my name.

FRANK .i. JOHNS.

Witnesses .l. M. WALKER, 1:. U. (Lorna-11.1..

